Engineering Team Lead - Process Engineering

Engineering Team Lead - Process Engineering A-Shift Minimum 40 hrs/week; overtime as needed

Optimax is experiencing exciting growth and expanding our team! Whether you are starting your career or looking for a new challenge, we offer a dynamic work environment, opportunities for advancement, and the chance to contribute to creating cutting-edge optics for a wide range of industries. Apply now and start your career journey with Optimax!

A unique corporate culture combined with a dynamic work environment:

At Optimax, we build lenses that power cutting-edge technologies in aerospace, defense, and consumer electronics. Our optics help shape breakthroughs that benefit humanity and protect our freedom. We offer a dynamic and collaborative work environment where innovation and teamwork thrive. We are looking for motivated individuals who are eager to learn, grow, and contribute to impactful projects.

Job Summary and Essential Job Duties:

The Process Engineering Team Lead provides technical and people leadership to engineers responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing optical manufacturing processes at Optimax. This role combines hands-on process engineering (approximately 80% of the time) with team development (approximately 20%) to improve optical fabrication capability, efficiency, cost, safety, and quality.

Through On the Job Training (OJT), Engineering Team Lead - Process Engineering will:

• Establish engineering priorities and coordinate team assignments with Engineering and Production management.
• Coach, provide feedback, and offer technical guidance to Process Engineers; support training, professional development, and performance management of direct reports.
• Provide hands-on engineering and technical direction in developing, implementing, troubleshooting, and optimizing optical manufacturing processes.
• Guide the interpretation of engineering drawings, specifications, and solid models to determine appropriate manufacturing and metrology methods.
• Review manufacturing feasibility and process risks; provide technical feedback to Sales during quoting and planning.
• Ensure process documentation, procedures, and work instructions are accurate and support consistent execution; coordinate training with manufacturing teams when introducing changes.
• Use process data, metrics, and structured testing to identify improvements, evaluate changes, and verify results; lead root-cause investigations and corrective actions for recurring process issues.
• Track engineering project milestones, identify technical and scheduling risks, and communicate progress, resource conflicts, and decisions requiring escalation.
• Partner with manufacturing leaders, technicians, Quality, R&D, and other Engineering groups to resolve process issues and implement sustainable improvements while maintaining safe, organized work areas.

Advancement in the Engineering Team Lead - Process Engineering position is supported by increasing technical expertise, leadership effectiveness, experience, responsibility, and continued professional development.

Education Requirements:

• A degree in engineering; alternatively, a high school diploma or GED with at least 10 years of optics experience.

Minimum Requirements:

• Demonstrated experience leading technical projects and coaching engineers.
• Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, and troubleshooting manufacturing processes, including knowledge of optical fabrication and metrology.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and solid models and translate requirements into practical manufacturing and metrology plans.
• Strong understanding of Lean, Six Sigma, or other process improvement methodologies, with the ability to evaluate process performance using data.
• Strong written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to explain technical decisions and collaborate across departments.
• Project management and organizational skills, with the ability to coordinate multiple priorities and meet deadlines.

Other Skills and Experience:

• Prior team leadership or supervisory experience preferred.

Work Requirements:

Physical Demands:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch: and talk and hear.
• The job may involve prolong periods of sitting/standing.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, hand and finger dexterity, including ability to grasp.

Work Environment:

• This position works in a manufacturing environment. The noise level can vary from quiet to loud frequencies.
• May involve the use of oils and solvents.
• Generally works in a clean environment and works to maintain the environment as such.
• May require area specific safety training.
• The employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts and fumes.
• May be assigned to various production areas as needs require.

Compensation & Benefits:

Optimax offers competitive compensation based on experience and a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Bonus: 25% Monthly Profit Sharing
• Tuition Assistance: Support for continuing education
• Health Insurance: Medical, Dental, and Vision options
• 401(k): Retirement plan with employer match
• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation and paid holidays
• Other Benefits: Life Insurance, Disability Insurance, Health Savings Account (HSA)

ITAR Compliance:

Employment at Optimax Systems, Inc. is subject to export control compliance requirements, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) issued by the United States Department of State, Department of Defense Trade Controls, and the Export Administration Regulations. Learn more about the ITAR here. To meet export control compliance requirements for this position, an applicant must be a “U.S. Person” as defined by applicable regulations or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. “U.S. Person” includes a U.S. Citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Optimax is committed to offering equal opportunity for all candidates. We encourage you to apply regardless of background, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Optimax will make reasonable accommodations for known physical or mental limitations of otherwise qualified employees and applicants with disabilities unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business.

If you require an accommodation to apply for this position, please contact our Human Resources team at 585-265-1020.